Archive for category: Expert Advice

The workplace is the leading source of stress and anxiety for American adults, according to numerous studies, and the impact has steadily increased over the past few decades. Although stress is a normal part of life, when it becomes extreme and/or long term, it can interfere with job performance, personal life physical and emotional health. While job and family pressures that cause stress or anxiety are unlikely to go away, it is possible to manage stress to not only minimize the physical and emotional repercussions but to actually improve your health. Many experts agree that regular physical exercise is one of the best mechanisms to manage stress and avoid its negative health repercussions.

The Problem:

The workplace is full of potential stress and anxiety triggers: heavy workloads, deadlines, long hours, insecurity about job retention or advancement, difficult bosses or colleagues, unclear or perceived unachievable performance expectations, among others.

According to the American Workplace Survey VII as reported by The American Institute of Stress, 80% of workers feel stress on the job and 50% of those indicate a need to learn how to manage stress.

In a similar study by NIOSH 40% of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful and their job stress was more strongly associated with health complaints than financial or emotional problems.

When anxious or stressed, the body launches into “fight or flight” mode which releases hormones associated with increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, sweating, and muscle tension. Constant or repetitive bouts of stress puts a lot of “stress” on the body and its systems.

In one study 62% of workers reported having neck pain at the end of the workday and 34% reported difficulty sleeping because they were stressed out about work. Overtime muscle tension and lack of sleep take a toll on the body, compromise the immune system and can contribute to more serious health problems.

It is not always possible to control or avoid stress in the workplace or elsewhere, but it is possible to manage it. WebMD’s Stress management Health Center offers several tips for managing stress including time management, healthy eating, quiet time or meditation and exercise among them. All of these are common coping mechanisms, however the stress management technique most recommended by health care professionals is exercise.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), exercise is vital for maintaining mental fitness and reducing stress. Being fit makes the body better able to fight stress while also improving alertness and concentration.

Scientific studies have shown that aerobic exercise decreases overall levels of tension, elevates and stabilizes mood, can reduce blood pressure, and improve sleep and self-esteem. As the Mayo Clinic reports, even just five minutes of moderate aerobic exercise can generate anti-anxiety effects.

Exercise can address both the physiologic and emotional repercussions of stress. Movement relieves tension in the muscles, increases breathing and oxygenation of the muscles and brain which increases energy and focus. Aerobic exercise releases mood enhancing chemicals, endorphins which can help alleviate the feelings of depression and anxiety associated with stress. Completing a workout, even a brief one often yields feelings of success which can translate to greater self-confidence and self-worth and serves as a distraction from your daily worries...

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (walking, swimming, gardening, etc.) or 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity (running, interval training). However, it’s important to build up fitness gradually and consult your physician if you are new to exercise. Brief bouts of activity offer physical and emotional benefits so you don’t have to commit to long 30-60 minute or more workouts. Doing 2 to 3 shorter 10 minute bouts of activity per day will still reap benefits.

For both fitness enthusiasts and non-exercisers, small bouts of movement at the time you are feeling stressed can have a big impact. Taking a brief walk, doing a few stretches or in-office exercises can reset the body and mind. Setting “activity” reminders on your daily calendar every hour or two or utilizing in office fitness mobile apps is a great way to infuse stress reducing movement into the workday.

Stress is inevitable. Having your health suffer due to stress is not. Exercise in any form and any duration is a great stress reliever. Being active can make both your body and mind healthier.

For mental health awareness week I thought I'd share some great information from the Mayo Clinic on how exercise can mitigate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. In addition to the obvious physical health benefits of exercise, research on anxiety and depression indicates that exercise provides both psychological and physical benefits that can reduce feelings of anxiety and improve mood.

Exercise releases "feel good" brain chemicals like endorphins and reduces certain immune related chemicals that can increase depression symptoms such that it can alleviate depression or anxiety episodes. Likewise, regular physical activity can help keep depression and anxiety at bay.

Additionally, exercise can instill confidence, self-esteem and feelings of success which counter the negative mindsets of anxiety and depression.

It doesn't require long intense bouts of physical activity to have an impact. Even short bouts of exercise, 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there, throughout the day can make you feel better.

So much has been written about the negative health effects of prolonged sitting. The wellness industry is in agreement that sitting is a big concern, but I wondered how far the corporate world has really come in addressing the issue. So, I reached out to a few experts from Virgin Pulse/ShapeUp and Active Working/ Get America Standing.

Does Corporate America get a passing grade in combatting prolonged sitting?

Over the past few years numerous well publicized research studies have concluded that prolonged bouts of sitting, as is typical in office based work environments, significantly increase the risk of numerous serious and costly health conditions including: heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity and cancer (J Levine, Mayo Clinic, Annals of Internal Medicine, 1/2015, Biswas, Oh, Faulkner et al) Relatedly, studies show that sitting for several consecutive hours contributes to chronic back and neck pain, depression, weight gain and reduced mental acuity. In response to these studies health experts have recommended standing and moving every 60-90 minutes to alleviate the effects of sitting, and numerous solutions and tools have been developed to support in office movement such as walking meetings, movement reminder apps, sit-stand and treadmill desks, to mention a few. Yet, with all the evidence of the human toll, healthcare and productivity costs and a flood of proposed solutions, little has been revealed about corporate America’s progress in addressing this health crisis. Are American companies investing financially, environmentally and culturally in changing the dynamic towards a more active workplace?

According to Gavin Bradley, founder of GetAmericaStanding.org the majority of American office workers sit well in excess of 6-8 hours a day during work. However, Bradley does see progress occurring: “The first and most important trend is increased awareness that sedentary behavior is in fact a problem in the workplace. Our specific objective has been to make clear that irrespective of what wellness solutions are available to an employee, sedentary behavior is a very separate matter.

This was the driver for Active Working™ to commission the first global expert recommendations on standing time for office workers (with the support of Public Health England), published by the British Journal for Sports Medicine in June 2015. We now have international consensus from health experts that we should be moving or standing 2 – 4 hours every day in the office, and that companies need to take on greater responsibility in supporting this or otherwise face the costs of reducing workplace health, engagement and productivity”.

Bradley’s organization will be holding their second annual On Your Feet Day in Great Britain and first for America and Canada on April 29th, a campaign that is expected to engage over 2,000 employers and 1,000,000 employees in active working movement activities throughout the day. Asked if On Your Feet Day has been a tipping point to adoption of office sit-stand solutions, Bradley replied “It’s more a starting point than a tipping point. We want employees to start somewhere and it can be fun and easy. Big problems are best tackled with small steps”

Get Standing’s primary mission is to get people to spend two hours of their work day NOT sitting. While the company endorses the use of sit/stand desks, Bradley says there are other activities that can help people move for two hours during the work day such as: taking calls standing, walking around the office, holding standing or walking meetings, using the stairs instead of the lift, taking a lunch break. Simple stuff.”

Bradley continues that implementing Sit-Standing desks is often a first route, but without education to support their usage and help develop real behavior change, employers and employees do not fully realize the benefits of the investment.

When asked to provide a barometer on corporate investment in practical office movement solutions, Rajiv Kumar, M.D., President Virgin Pulse, Chief Medical Officer Virgin Pulse Institute and founder of ShapeUp, which recently joined forces with Virgin Pulse, replied “I have seen a growing interest in providing tangible in-office tools for employees who want to combat “sitting disease. This attention to prolonged sitting is a growing trend, and I have a lot of faith in its continued adoption. The fact is, unless organizations provide practical tools to combat sitting, nothing will change. No amount of educational material, articles, or tip sheets will offset the harmful effects of sitting unless environments are reoriented around movement and corporate cultures align themselves with health.”

Kumar noted that the growing popularity of ergonomics speaks to corporate commitment to building healthier work spaces, “We’re seeing a huge amount of interest in standing desks, treadmill desks, and in-office gyms that provide ways for employees to stand up, move, and be comfortable, all while staying productive and engaged in work. That said, practical tools can be simple and low cost. For example, signage can go a long way! Like reminding employees to take the stairs”.

Technology including wearable devices, mobile office exercise apps and social wellness tools are helping individuals stay mindful of prolonged sitting, according to Kumar. Such devices nudge users to move and in some cases lead them through simple 1-2 minute in office exercises. Such solutions are simple and cost effective to deploy and can complement ergonomic solutions.

According to both Bradley and Kumar, investment in sit-stand solutions, devices and programs is only the first step in moving the needle against prolonged sitting. Instilling a culture of health is the only sure pathway to changing behavior.

“As far as the employer is concerned, they need to create a culture which does not accept prolonged and excessive sedentary behavior”, says Bradley.

Similarly, Kumar reinforced that “The first step in adopting a culture of health comes from organizational leaders and executives. You have to give employees the permission to move, step away from their desks, work flexibly, and incorporate their physical health into their work life if you want to move the needle on health outcomes. Any and all workplace exercise programs will fail if managers, leaders, and executives expect their employees to be at their computers every minute of every day. That’s why adoption and use of workplace wellbeing and exercise programs isn’t merely a question of promotion or marketing, it’s a true cultural shift. The fastest way to make that shift is to have executives and managers lead by example”

In assessing Corporate America’s success in combatting prolonged sitting, Bradley says “Since our Get Standing”] campaigns started in March 2014, we have seen penetration of sit-stand desks amongst office workers double from 1% to 2%. However we are still VERY far behind parts of Scandinavia where 90% of office workers have height adjustable sit-stand desks”.

So, is Corporate America making the grade in combatting prolonged sitting? According to these key experts, the answer is they’re making headway and learning, maybe a C+ trending upward. There’s still a long way to go toward providing the workforce the tools and instilling a culture of movement before earning an A and moving the needle on avoiding the negative health effects of sitting.

Its that time again, the end of one year and the start of a new. New Year's is a natural milestone that prompts us to reflect, to plan and to aspire. If you're like the majority of lifestyle resolution makers, you started last year with the best of intentions to "lose weight" , "eat healthier" or "exercise more" but now find the results fall short of your aspirations. Surveys have indicated that over 50% of us make resolutions but only 10% keep them in part because the resolutions themselves weren't well thought out.

The first step to keeping your New Year's resolution is to set SMART goals.

At work, home or play, take a minute to pamper your spine. Whether standing or sitting, the spine gets compressed during the day and the space between vertebrae shrinks. Taking a minute every few hours to stand up, stretch, strengthen and mobilize your spine can not only improve posture, but also increase blood flow, reduce back pain, tension and stress.

Stand up, feet hip or shoulder width, abs pulled in, shoulders relaxed, slowly tuck your chin to your chest and roll down through your spine bending above the waist, take a deep inhale while bent over, then exhale, tightening the abs and slowly rolling back up to standing, one vertebra at a time. This helps lengthen he spine and expand the space between he vertebrae which have been compressed by gravity.

Back Extension:

Then, while standing tall take a deep inhale through the nose, then exhale through the mouth as you reach your arms back behind you. lift the chest and arch the upper spine (what we call a back extension in Pilates). Back extensions improve posture by reversing the curve of the thoracic spine, which is often rounded over our desk and computer , while also stretching and opening the chest and rib cage.

While some may be inclined to avoid them due to their high fat and caloric content, nuts contain heart healthy unsaturated fats, nutrients that help lubricate your joints, vitamin E, an essential anti-oxidant, as well as protein and fiber.Consumed in small servings, nuts and seeds are a terrific addition to your diet.

Nutrient

Content per ounce`

Benefits

Protein

6 g on average

Building block for bones, muscle cartilage

Sates hunger longer than carbs & fats

Mono & Poly Unsaturated Fats

(Omega-3 fatty Acids)

Walnuts in particular have
high levels of Omega 3

Heart Healthy

Lower Cholesterol

Lower triglycerides

Decrease Inflammation (joint health)

Fiber

3 g+/-

Slows digestion so feel fuller longer

Reduces Cholesterol

Decreases Fat Absorption

Vitamin E

8 mg (Almonds in particular)

Anti-oxidant

Boosts Immune System

Minerals

Sunflower Seeds:
100 mg magnesium

Almonds:75 mg calcium

Zinc, calcium, phosphorus support bone development, immunity and energy production

Because the protein, fiber and fat in nuts and seeds stave off hunger longer, research has shown that nuts (in small doses) can actually prevent weight gain.

Incorporate a variety of nuts into your diet as they contain different vitamins and minerals and keep your taste buds happy.For portion control, pour a serving into a small dish vs taking the whole jar with you to the couch. Sprinkle nuts or seeds on a salad, cereal or yogurt, or mix them with dried fruit for a great energy boosting mid-day, pre or post workout snack.For the greatest benefits and least added calories, try to use nuts in their natural state without added oils or salt.And, as always, if you have any health conditions, food allergies or dietary restrictions, check with your medical professionals before adding nuts or any food to your diet.

Study by British Medical Journal (1998) found individuals who consumed nuts 5 times per week had 35% lower risk of heart disease

A 2004 study of diabetic adults showed an increase in HDL (good cholesterol) and a 10% decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol) in persons eating a handful of walnuts a day.The FDA issued a qualified health claim that walnuts may reduce the risk of heart disease.

A study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) concluded that a diet high in cholesterol lowering foods, including nuts, lowered cholesterol as well as pharmaceutical interventions.

It only takes a minute to improve your circulation, combat the negative effects of prolonged sitting , strengthen and tone your thighs and butt. You don't need any equipment or fitness expertise. Just stand up in front of your chair and get started.

Chair squats strengthen and tone the quads, hamstrings and glutes, all part of your Core, while also improving balance and stability and increasing circulation.

When we sit for prolonged periods it restricts circulation to the limbs, shortens the hip flexor muscles which can lead to tightness and low back pain. In addition, prolonged sitting increases risk of several significant diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Just one minute of exercise can make a big difference and increase your energy and concentration.

Wear your Halloween orange on the inside and it will shine through on the outside. Orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, mangoes, cantaloupe, winter squashes, sweet potatoes (my favorite) and, yes, pumpkin are chock full of antioxidants including: beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin C. These vital nutrients support eye health, night vision, protect skin against sun damage (free radicals) and promote DNA repair among other benefits. Specifically:

Beta-Carotene:

Promotes eye health

Protects skin against sun damage

Delays cognitive aging (healthy body and healthy mind!)

Vitamin A (retinol)

Supports healthy immune system

Aids night vision

Protects the body against free radical damage

Vitamin C:

Protects against cardiovascular disease

Boosts the immune system

Builds collagen in the skin (go away wrinkles!)

Better yet these foods are so delicious and versatile: eat as is, incorporate into smoothies, soups and stews.

They compliment most foods and add color for a beautiful plate. I love making a mango salsa for fish, chicken or pork. Toss a sweet potato in the oven at 400 deg. for 30-40 mins and you have the perfect super food side dish.

Tis the season of squash and root vegetables, so add a little orange into your day and you'll be smiling inside and out!

Did you know that most of the adult skeleton is completely replaced about every 10 years? We tend to think of our bones as constants, like a steel framework for a building. In actuality, throughout life the human skeleton is being continuously broken down and restored. This process of continual reshaping and rebuilding is called remodeling. This is an apt term. Just like a dilapidated old house or an outdated room, we can actually redesign, restore and renew our skeleton to a level equal or greater than before.

Why do we care?

Bone strength (measured as bone mineral density) is directly tied to issues such as osteoporosis, increased fractures (particularly of the hips), and postural problems such as a hunched back. As people age and/or become more sedentary, the risks of reduced bone density and brittle bones increases.

Remodeling is vital for bone health for several reasons (ACE Essentials of Exercise Science):

repairs damage to skeleton that can result from repeated or traumatic stresses

prevents accumulation of "old bone" which may have lost its resilience and become brittle

plays a role in releasing key nutrients, calcium and phosphorus, from the bones into the blood stream when these minerals are deficient in the diet (or in higher demand due to pregnancy or nursing)

> 50% of women and >20% of men over 50 will suffer an osteoporotic fracture at some time in their lives(US Department of Health & Human Services)

What's the secret to remodeling our skeleton?

While nutrition plays a vital role in bone health, the primary mechanism to maintain or improve bone density is applying repeated "stresses" through exercise. According to Wolff's law, when bone is subject to stressful forces such as those of weight bearing exercise, it stimulates the effected bones to lay down more bone tissue, thereby increasing density. Conversely, prolonged bed rest or sedentary lifestyle yields reductions in density or bone weakening.

The key is to do exercise that is weight bearing with repeated application of forces. Our own body weight and gravity are the perfect "equipment".

Running, walking and standing can all impact bone density, with running being the most effective. As noted in a recent NY Times Personal Health article by Jane E. Brody, swimming and cycling are not very effective at building bone because they are not weight bearing. Very little compressive force is applied to the skeleton in swimming or cycling. For those with joint issues such that running isn't feasible, try walking hills, steps, or jumping jacks